Interdisciplinary Resources for Black History Month

American Ancestors Family History Curriculum

Developed by experts at American Ancestors (a project of the New England Historic Genealogical Society), this free-to-access national curriculum is designed to expose students in grades 4 through 8 to the concepts, benefits, and joys of family history. Each lesson incorporates authentic methodologies used by professional genealogists, along with inclusive teaching strategies to ensure genealogy is accessible to all students.

In collaboration, the Maine DOE offers case studies of important Mainers that support the American Ancestors/NEHGS curriculum.  Two case studies highlight the important contributions of African American Mainers.  Students can use these case studies to explore the life of Gerald E. Talbot, Maine's first African-American legislator, and John Jenkins, the first African American to be elected to the Maine State Senate.

Download this clickable PDF for a full list of Maine case studies.

African Diaspora in Maine Modules

These modules were developed by the Maine Online Open-Source Education (MOOSE) project in collaboration between members of the Black and African-American communities in Maine and PreK-12 Maine educators. MOOSE uses African Diaspora as an inclusive umbrella term to include African-Americans, Blacks, and People of Color whose people were brought to British North America as part of the middle passage Atlantic slave trade and those from sub-Saharan Africa who have entered America in various ways since then. The modules provide student-facing material for grades PreK-12.

Side x Side

Side x Side ignites academic excellence in education through comprehensive integrated arts-based programs, bringing critical thinking, creativity, and innovation into the classroom. Through community partnerships, Side x Side integrates science, technology, literacy, and the humanities with the arts to enhance the school curriculum.  They provide free monthly webinars for educators on the first Wednesday of the month from 7-8 pm.  These webinars offer innovative approaches on how to engage students in diverse modalities of expression, such as visual storytelling to interactive projects, after gaining insights into learned information.  By bridging content areas, teachers can provide a new way to explore Black and African-American histories and contributions to Maine. 

The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC)

The NMAAHC has a dedicated team focused on Teaching and Learning that serves students and educators in grades 3-12. The NMAAHC strives to ignite critical thinking and creativity, generate self-pride, and inspire life-long learning for diverse audiences.  Their offerings for educators are designed to stimulate new ways of thinking and cultivate a passion for lifelong learning.  NMAAHC provides professional learning, the Learning Lab (a free, interactive platform for learners and educators), and a reading list.

Rural Experience in America Project

Funded by a grant from the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources program, NCHE is proud to announce a series of free, professional development opportunities designed to support K-12 teachers focusing on the theme, Change and Development in Rural America.  Learn how to help your students connect rural America’s past to the present using historical inquiry, public history, place-based education, and service learning.  Past professional learning focused on the African American experience in rural America.

This is a professional learning experience that could support educators in designing place-based civic inquiry projects highlighting Black and African American history in Maine.